The Three Main Causes of Youth Violence in Modern Times
by Youth violence is prevalent in almost every country, and in an effort to lessen it, it is important for us to understand the primary reasons behind it.
If we observe keenly, violence is extremely prevalent among youth from different walks of life. There seems to be a driving force (or forces), that urges these young people to engage in such violence. It is very common nowadays to hear news about teenagers or high school students taking part in brutal killings, homicide, murder or even suicide. However, I think youth violence is not restricted to such forms. Bullying, for example, happens everyday in almost every school in this country. The very fact that violence is becoming more widespread in our time is enough reason for us to identify and understand the main reasons behind such violence.
The environment where a person grows up plays a major factor in his/her participation with violence. I believe that a young man or woman can be directly influenced to do violent acts if he/she has witnessed or experienced it on a personal level. If a child grows up in an environment where violence seems to be a normal part of daily life, then it is almost certain that the child will adapt the same tendency to engage in violent acts. For example, if a boy often sees his father hurting his mother, this could lead to two things. Either the child will adapt the same attitude of cruelty towards women, or he will develop a strong anger against men who hurt women. Eventually, as the child grows up and becomes a teenager, he might find ways to bring out his or her pent up emotions by engaging in similar violent acts.
The content behind modern media and entertainment can also be a major cause of youth violence today. Parents may be able to discipline and guide their kids at home, but when these same kids open the television, they can watch the news where people are being murdered, folks are hurting each other and crimes are being committed everyday. In many television shows and movies, brutal acts of murder and torture are shown as if they are a normal part of daily life. Other films teach young people the value of revenge, and portray violence as the righteous way to vindicate the characters. The fearful thing is that these acts of violence can be watched by children and teenagers unrestricted. They do not need to personally experience crime and brutality because these things are already fed daily into their heads: through the television, news, movies and the internet. There are thousands of websites where young people can freely watch videos with graphic content and gore. In this way, violence becomes a part of a young persons daily thinking. Suddenly, it stops being a scary thing to him or her. Instead, violence becomes more and more appealing and interesting to the young person. He then finds ways to do these same things in real life.
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Post Commentearthwalker
On June 11, 2008 at 10:36 pm
I agree, and would like to add that our youth are currently watching the adult leaders engage in war.
earthwalker
On June 11, 2008 at 10:48 pm
The most intense and desctructive forms of violence are inherent in the act of war. Furthermore, the evidence shows that the attack on Iraq was unprovoked and unjustified. The youth were done further injustice by the actions of the adult leaders. We taught them that they can attack another without evidence of threat, a clear need or rational thought process as to how the reaction and outcome may affect their future.
Music, TV, video games and Movies are problematic, however, they are also learning by example.
B Nelson
On August 7, 2008 at 9:37 am
I think a lot of violence in kids is also due to the fact they are not kept as busy, and poor parenting.
Parents are being more slack – lazier even with discapline
in the past kids were kept physically busy working on the farm or whatever, they had no time to form “Gangs” or have problems, at least not in many societies.
as such I blame lazy parents, and boredom
Mark Gordon Brown
On August 7, 2008 at 9:40 am
Bullying has been around for ages, and will never go away. It is getting more and more violent though. It is sad. Kids should not have these problems.
Denny Lyon
On September 27, 2008 at 2:50 pm
As someone who once worked with Special Needs kids at a metro city museum for the education program where we brought in several thousand kids a year just for my program – mostly labeled behavior problems by the school system – you have it right: it’s culture, culture, culture! The current business model of “at all costs” profit culture appeals to the basic level of humanity of fear or sex, areas easy to manipulative young minds, encouraging violence.
In English speaking countries we have foolishly herded the need for individualism to the extreme, creating a social disconnectedness that, in turn, drives aggression. Kids would benefit more from the teamwork of teaching the weaker kids and helping them to reach their goals. In teaching we often receive the best lesson of all: we learn most about ourselves.
Behavior problem kids are also often abused at home and frustrated with not being heard by parents who are lazy about parenting. Inevitably, they get into drugs. They are usually very strong personalities and it requires an equally strong person to lead them; they don’t respect weaker people and will not follow because their experience has been they will be mistreated.
My favorite tactic – much to the horror of their teachers – was to cull out the 10 worst problem students for my group. They thought I was crazy! I learned this one from football coach John Madden when he took the bad boys of the league and turned them around to perform well. What I found is that when all the strongest people are grouped together there is no weak person to taunt or bounce off of. Then they start to calm down and are actually a lot of fun!
The key is to get them while they are still relatively young – about age 13 or younger is greater success. Oh, and make sure you work out with weights so you are able to stop a fight or two when they get rambunctious! I must have done something right as many of them came back for years asking, “Hey! Where’s that lady who talked to us about Wisdom? I want to be in her group!”
Denny Lyon
On September 27, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Sorry… do wish there was a spell check on this comment area, oh, well, the occasional typo is good for the soul, right?! grinning…
Kim Billings
On October 12, 2008 at 5:41 pm
I think kids react towards bullying ,etc with violence because alot of these kids have nobody to talk to about how they feel.Excellent story. Please read my Halloween recipe:
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Brianna M.
On November 10, 2008 at 8:15 pm
I am 13 so i say us as kids we should be able to have fun doing the activities we love most. Anything like D.A.R.E or YMCA or any other afterschool programs. In school we are working on a project called “Do the Write Thing.” They wrote “Write” on purpose because it is a writing project i am one who is working on it, and its based on writing about violence that i have in my life. This is why i am on this website. Good article. By the way who wrote this article i have to paste the name because i am using these paragraphs as a quote. =] *smiling*
Brianna M.
On November 10, 2008 at 8:18 pm
hey… that’s ME! just kidding! ^
==> I am a George K. Porter Middle School Student, and I am proud! (our motto)
Jared
On February 24, 2009 at 7:44 pm
amzing article great to see someone taking interest in this problem in young society
shanay m
On March 7, 2009 at 8:22 pm
omg im doing the “Do The Write Thing Challenge” too! thats why im reading the article and its very good by the way seriously though who wrote the article?
choyang
On October 22, 2009 at 1:43 am
i think that violence is the major problems facing by youth and this article would very informative to the teenagers. very good article!
Ahror Valiyev
On December 12, 2009 at 1:14 am
yes, exactly it is more interesting at the same time global problem. Now I’m going to prepare presentation about it. it needs for my exam. I took some opinon from my fellows, as well as i follow my peers. I think most influence thing is family enviroment, like divorce, single parent and others
Cindy A.
On January 2, 2010 at 3:33 pm
i’m doing that “do the write thing” that’s why i’m here for sources
Patriotsman
On January 11, 2010 at 7:48 pm
me too cindy and i would have to say video games i a huge impact on youth violence just look at modern warfare 2
FiFi Fight
On March 29, 2010 at 6:45 pm
yo man life aint about winning, its about killin
Andre Chinua Taylor
On December 16, 2010 at 8:26 pm
From the way I see it, kids are less social and are unable to properly channel anger out as well as seeing life as little as glass. This, along with lack of responsibility for their own actions, can cause them to act out only thinking of the impending consequences later or after the deed is done. Not only that, but, they think because they are kids, they can’t be punished by the law. I am from Carver Middle School FL, where fights are quite frequent. I have seen youth violence in the face and these kids are lacking emotional reinforcement and therefore, attempt to take out their anger on each other. Laws should be stricter against kids and if punishment should be more severe, so be it. I know if I ever have a child, I will not allow for the stupity and ignorance of children who don’t give a care about their education, to distrupt my child and provoke him/her to do such demeaning and barbaric acts that could scar my child for life.